Free Access
Issue
Apidologie
Volume 33, Number 3, May-June 2002
Page(s) 339 - 351
DOI https://doi.org/10.1051/apido:2002020


Apidologie 33 (2002) 339-351
DOI: 10.1051/apido:2002020

Molecular diagnosis of chronic bee paralysis virus infection

Magali Ribière, Carole Triboulot, Laetitia Mathieu, Clément Aurières, Jean-Paul Faucon and Michel Pépin

AFSSA Sophia Antipolis, Unité Abeille, BP 111, 06902 Sophia Antipolis, France

(Received 29 May 2001; revised 24 January 2002; accepted 12 March 2002)

Abstract
A new RT-PCR test was developed for the diagnosis of chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) infection. Used in parallel with an experimental infection test, the RT-PCR test was less fastidious and allowed the detection of latent CBPV infection in colonies. The new test is based on the fact that clinical CBPV infections (but not latent infections) yield a high viral antigen load that can be easily revealed using the agarose gel immunodiffusion (AGID) test. The combination of the AGID and the RT-PCR tests allowed us to characterise the CBPV status of hives from various apiaries in France as non infected, latently infected or clinically infected. The RT-PCR test proved highly sensitive for detecting inapparent infections. It may be a useful tool for studying the epidemiology of the disease.


Key words: chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) / latent infection / RT-PCR diagnosis / characterisation of CBPV status / Apis mellifera

Correspondence and reprints: Magali Ribière
    e-mail: m.ribiere@sophia.afssa.fr

© INRA, EDP Sciences, DIB, AGIB 2002